Wednesday, October 12, 2011

BASHIR ASKS ME TO COMPLETE HIS STORY...

I received an email this morning from Bashir... He has asked me to add the following to his life story, which I profiled in an earlier blog...


" after the death of my father, me and 2 my brothers arrived in Mogadishu then we studied at the college where my father was working. all my primary, secondary school I studied at that collage without paying fees. at that time i was feeling my life is better than those Somali's whose parents still live.
because i got whatever i need inside of the collage Alhamdulilah. in one minute i didnt feel I'm orphaned or something like that.
after my graduation of the collage i enrolled the Mogadishu University, it was 2007.
I studied 4years of a bachelor degree at this university  during difficult situation because the time i started the university was the period Ethiopian troops entered the city.
War become my daily life, explosions, armed conflict and running gun battles, were what we adopted
I remember early one morning when i went to campus bullets were flying everywhere you walked on the road.'  blocking the roads, checking the buses and cars, was the main problem because we were delayed for university.
For 4years our situation was like that and sometimes worse, finally i finished the Degree of Business Adminstration.
I feel now a hope, to change my life for a war to a peace Inshaa Allah.

Living with the past

It's been 4 days back in South Africa and life as I know has returned to normal, but I am not... I am constantly thinking about evryone we have left behind in Somalia. The friends we came to kinow so well, our partners the Zam Zam foundation who have undertaken the great task of rebuilding their country, the innocent kids who are ill and displaced.....

I wonder if the kids we met at the hospital are doing okay ?

I wonder what today holds for the people of Somalia ?

I hope to return to this magnificent land. I never imagined I would've grown to love this place so much and I would have never guessed how much my passion for their success could grow.

I have met many before and since my return who still remain ignorant and indifferent, but I walk with the confidence of knowing that the many who do care and who are aware are far greater and stronger.

I have seen hope alive in situations where hope would be considered futile. It is HOPE that saves a life and hope that strengthens a nation.

In Somalia there lives HOPE.

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Back in my own bed

It has been an incredible week, one where I felt like I was part of the doers. Being involved in humanity, the Al Imdaad foundation is perfect proof, that we can change the world..

We don't need money to change the world, more precious is the giving of your time. That changes the world.

Thursday, October 6, 2011

Last day

So our journey has entered the twilight phase, we are readying ourselves to leave a country we have all grown so passionate about and whose beauty we have fallen in love with.

We have been briefed by the Zam Zam Foundation as to the medium to long term projects to revive Somali society. The plans are sound and well thought out, they have considered issues on various levels... I'll give some more details on these in the coming days.

There is definitely hope here and a bright future Somalia will be a paradise again - this time it looks like it will be a paradise for its own people and that is the best part.

We are off to various camps to finish up distribution...this will be my last entry until my return to South Africa...

The blog will go on though, there is alot to still share about this magnificant country and my overwhelming journey.

Do keep tuned an remember Somalia in your prayers. From Liaaqat, for now, keep well....

Somalia thank you for all you have shown and thought me you are indeed a great country with a great people, may Allah return peace to your paradise.

Somali Baby



Mogadishu - once a majestic city, now ruined by conflict



Qari Ziyaad Patel of Al Imdaad